Beaumont warns against rebel vote on CEO removal

Interim chair Bill Beaumont has warned that ousting chief executive Bill Sweeney could lead to "rancour and disruption" within the Rugby Football Union (RFU). This warning comes ahead of a critical meeting on Thursday. A group of clubs, especially from the Championship, is pushing for Sweeney's removal. They argue that he has lost touch with the grassroots game, especially given his significant salary increase amid the RFU's record losses. The RFU has presented a counter proposal aimed at decentralizing decision-making and enhancing support for regional clubs. Beaumont criticized the rebels for spreading misleading information about the RFU's finances. Meanwhile, the Whole Game Union, which is leading the rebellion, claims the turmoil stems from the RFU's leadership not listening to concerns from clubs and players. They are advocating for changes that would give more decision-making power to their member clubs. These proposed changes will be voted on in the RFU's annual general meeting in the summer and require a 66% majority to pass. However, there are concerns that these changes might conflict with guidelines from funding bodies like Sport England.